Jōyō KanjiOrganized by Onyomi reading
ひ hi
kanji
彼Meaning
Third person pronoun, He
Reading
kare
かのkano
onyomiひhi
Parts
彳Stop 皮Skin
Example Word
彼の: that. The Japanese determiner '彼の (あの)' means 'that' and is used to refer to something distant from both the speaker and the listener. It is often used to point out specific objects, people, or places that are not close to either party. For example: That book is interesting「あの本は面白い」(あのほんはおもしろい). That person is my teacher「あの人は私の先生です」(あのひとはわたしのせんせいです). Note that '彼の (あの)' is distinct from 'この (this)' and 'その (that near the listener)', as it specifically indicates something far from both the speaker and the listener.
Radical
彳
Stroke Count
8JLPT
N3Grade
7Frequency
19
Handwriting
kanji
飛Meaning
Fly
Reading
to
onyomiひhi
Parts
升Sho, Measuring box
Example Word
飛ぶ: fly or jump. The Japanese verb '飛ぶ (とぶ)' primarily means 'to fly', referring to the action of moving through the air, such as birds or airplanes. For example: The bird is flying「鳥が飛んでいる」(とりがとんでいる). Additionally, it can also mean 'to jump' or 'to leap', often used in contexts where someone or something moves quickly or suddenly from one place to another. For example: He jumped over the fence「彼はフェンスを飛び越えた」(かれはフェンスをとびこえた). The verb is versatile and can be used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as 'to skip' (e.g., skipping steps or pages).
Radical
飛
Stroke Count
9JLPT
N3Grade
4Frequency
229
Handwriting
kanji
非Meaning
Mistake, Negative
Reading
ara
onyomiひhi
Example Word
是非: certainly. The Japanese adverb '是非 (ぜひ)' is used to express strong encouragement or a strong desire for something to happen. It can be translated as 'certainly', 'by all means', or 'definitely'. This word is often used when making requests or invitations, emphasizing the speaker's earnestness. For example: Please come by all means「是非来てください」(ぜひきてください). I definitely want to go「是非行きたいです」(ぜひいきたいです). It can also be used to express a strong recommendation, as in 'You should definitely try this dish'「この料理は是非食べてみてください」(このりょうりはぜひたべてみてください).
Radical
非
Stroke Count
8JLPT
N3Grade
5Frequency
320
Handwriting
kanji
悲Meaning
Sad
Reading
kana
onyomiひhi
Parts
非Mistake, Negative 心Heart
Example Word
悲しい: sad. The Japanese adjective '悲しい (かなしい)' means 'sad'. It is used to describe a feeling of sorrow, unhappiness, or grief. This word can be applied to situations, events, or personal emotions. For example: I feel sad「私は悲しい」(わたしはかなしい). That movie was sad「その映画は悲しかった」(そのえいがはかなしかった). It can also be used to describe something that evokes sadness, such as a sad story「悲しい話」(かなしいはなし). The nuance of '悲しい' often implies a deeper, more emotional sadness compared to other words like '寂しい (さびしい)', which can mean 'lonely' or 'lonesome'.
Radical
心
Stroke Count
12JLPT
N3Grade
3Frequency
415
Handwriting
kanji
比Meaning
Compare, Ratio
Reading
kura
onyomiひhi
Example Word
比較的: relatively. The Japanese adverb '比較的 (ひかくてき)' means 'relatively'. It is used to indicate that something is being compared to a standard or norm, suggesting that it is somewhat or moderately so in relation to that standard. It often carries a nuance of being more than expected or more than average, but not extremely so. For example: This problem is relatively easy「この問題は比較的簡単だ」(このもんだいはひかくてきかんたんだ). The weather today is relatively warm「今日の天気は比較的暖かい」(きょうのてんきはひかくてきあたたかい). It can be used in both positive and negative contexts, depending on the situation.
Radical
比
Stroke Count
4JLPT
N2Grade
5Frequency
604
Handwriting
kanji
秘Meaning
Secret
Reading
hi
onyomiひhi
Parts
禾Cereal 必Inevitable, Certain
Example Word
秘密: secret. The Japanese adjectival noun '秘密 (ひみつ)' means 'secret'. It refers to something that is kept hidden or concealed from others, often because it is private, confidential, or sensitive. This word can be used to describe information, actions, or objects that are not meant to be disclosed. For example: This is a secret「これは秘密です」(これはひみつです). She told me her secret「彼女は秘密を教えてくれた」(かのじょはひみつをおしえてくれた). The word can also be used in compound phrases, such as '秘密の場所 (ひみつのばしょ)' (secret place) or '秘密を守る (ひみつをまもる)' (to keep a secret).
Radical
禾
Stroke Count
10JLPT
N1Grade
6Frequency
778
Handwriting
kanji
皮Meaning
Skin
Reading
kawa
onyomiひhi
Parts
又Again 卜Divination 厂Cliff
Example Word
皮肉: irony or sarcasm. The Japanese adjectival noun '皮肉 (ひにく)' can mean both 'sarcasm' and 'irony'. It is used to describe situations, remarks, or expressions that convey a meaning opposite to what is literally stated, often with a mocking or critical tone. For example: His sarcastic remark hurt her feelings「彼の皮肉な発言は彼女の気持ちを傷つけた」(かれのひにくなはつげんはかのじょのきもちをきずつけた). It's ironic that the firefighter's house burned down「消防士の家が燃えたのは皮肉だ」(しょうぼうしのいえがもえたのはひにくだ). The word can also be used to describe situations where the outcome is contrary to what was expected, highlighting a twist of fate or unexpected result.
Radical
皮
Stroke Count
5JLPT
N2Grade
3Frequency
796
Handwriting
kanji
否Meaning
Negate
Reading
ina
いやiya
onyomiひhi
Parts
不Not 口Mouth
Example Word
否定: denial. The Japanese verbal noun '否定 (ひてい)' means 'denial' or 'negation'. It is used to express the act of denying or negating something, such as a statement, fact, or claim. This word is often used in formal or logical contexts. For example: he denied the accusation「彼はその非難を否定した」(かれはそのひなんをひていした). The theory was negated by new evidence「その理論は新しい証拠によって否定された」(そのりろんはあたらしいしょうこによってひていされた). It can also be used in phrases like '自己否定 (じこひてい)' (self-denial) or '否定形 (ひていけい)' (negative form in grammar).
Radical
口
Stroke Count
7JLPT
N3Grade
6Frequency
846
Handwriting